Safety investigation authorities will conduct preliminary assessment regarding new information on M/S Estonia

Film material was published on 28 September 2020, showing an unreported hole in the hull of passenger ship M/S Estonia.

The Estonian Safety Investigation Authority has on 2 October 2020 taken a decision to initiate a preliminary assessment of the new information. The Swedish and Finnish Safety Investigation Authorities have agreed to assist their Estonian counterpart in its assessment.

The purpose of the preliminary assessment is to consider whether, in the light of the new information, Joint Accident Investigation Commission (JAIC) findings on the cause of accident of M/S Estonia should be reassessed and further investigation on the matter conducted. To this end, the new factual information will be assessed and comparted to the published JAIC report.

The preliminary assessment is performed within the framework of the 1995 agreement reached between Estonia, Finland and Sweden, on legal protection of the wreck of ESTONIA and in accordance with the three states’ national legislations.

Further information:

Finland: Dr. Veli-Pekka Nurmi, Executive Director, +358 29 515 0701, veli-pekka.nurmi@om.fi

Estonia: Executive Director Jens Haug, +372 6256314, jens.haug@ojk.ee

Sweden: Deputy Director General Jonas Bäckstrand, +46 8 508 862 82